For a maximum stay of 90 days, no visa is required in North, Central and South America! These rules are a snapshot in time and should definitely be checked again before you travel.
Entry requirements:
USA | Passport and a tourist card (handed out on the plane). You may stay 3 months without a visa (you may have to show a return ticket). |
Mexico | Passport and a tourist card (handed out at the border). You can usually stay 90 days. If you enter overland (so also as a cyclist coming from the USA), you pay an entry tax of 20 USD the first time you enter. |
Guatemala | Passport valid for at least another 6 months. If you enter or leave overland, expect to pay fees of between 10 and 20 quetzales at the border. You are usually given a residence permit for 90 days. |
Honduras | Passport valid for at least another 6 months. Swiss citizens are given a visa on entry for a stay of 30 to 90 days. A return or onward ticket, or enough money, is required (you are asked about the money when entering overland). |
Nicaragua | Passport valid for at least another 6 months. You can usually stay 90 days. |
Costa Rica | Passport valid for at least another 6 months. |
Panama | Passport valid for at least another 6 months. |
Colombia | Passport valid for at least another 6 months. |
Ecuador | Passport valid for at least another 6 months. |
Peru | Passport valid for at least another 6 months. You can usually stay 183 days. Entry and customs cards are handed out at the border crossings. |
Bolivia | Passport valid for at least another 6 months. You can usually stay 30 days. |
Paraguay | Passport valid for at least another 3 months. You can usually stay 90 days. |
Argentina | Passport valid for at least another 3 months. You can usually stay 90 days (the stay can be extended by 3 months). You may be given a tourist card at the border. |
Uruguay | Passport valid for at least another 3 months. You can usually stay 90 days (the stay can be extended by 3 months). |
Chile | Passport valid for at least another 6 months. You can usually stay 90 days (the stay can be extended once by 90 days). You are given a tourist card. |
Travelling through Asia or Oceania is a different story. Practically every country requires a visa! The individual entry requirements are listed below.
Turkey | Swiss citizens need an identity card or a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond their return date (no visa required). |
Iran | To enter, Swiss citizens need a passport with a visa, valid for at least 6 months beyond their return date. |
Turkmenistan | To enter, Swiss citizens need a passport with a visa, valid for at least 6 months beyond their return date. |
Uzbekistan | To enter, Swiss citizens need a passport with a visa, valid for at least 6 months beyond their return date. |
Tajikistan | To enter, Swiss citizens need a passport with a visa, valid for at least 6 months beyond their return date. |
Kyrgyzstan | Swiss citizens need a passport valid for at least six months beyond their return date (no visa required). |
China | To enter, Swiss citizens need a passport with a visa, valid for at least 6 months beyond their return date. |
Laos | For stays of up to 15 days, Swiss citizens need a Swiss passport valid for at least 6 months after the end of their stay, without a tourist visa. Anyone staying longer than 15 days in Laos can, as before, get a so-called "visa on arrival" for about 35 US dollars directly at one of the official border crossings or at the airports of Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Pakse. It allows a stay of up to 30 days and can be extended. |
Cambodia | To enter, Swiss citizens need a passport with a visa, valid for at least 6 months beyond their return date. Tourist and business visas are issued to citizens of all nationalities on arrival at the international airports of Pochentong (Phnom Penh) and Siem Reap. Visas on arrival are also available at the border crossings of Poipet/Aranyaprathet, Hat Lek/Cham Yeam and Koh Kong (Thailand), and Bavet/Moc Bai and Kaom Samnor (Vietnam). |
Thailand | For stays of up to 30 days, Swiss citizens need a Swiss passport valid for at least 6 months after the end of their stay, without a visa. For longer stays, ask at the country's diplomatic missions. |
Malaysia | Swiss citizens need an identity card or a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond their return date (no visa required). |
Singapore | For stays of up to 1 month (14 days when entering overland), Swiss citizens need a Swiss passport valid for at least 6 months after arrival, without a visa (a "Social Visit Pass" is issued on arrival at the airport). Extending your stay The Social Visit Pass can be extended in Singapore to a maximum of 90 days. Information is available from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority under "Visitors". |
New Zealand | Passport valid for at least another 3 months. You can usually stay 90 days. A visa is required for stays of more than 3 months. |
Australia | To enter, Swiss citizens need a passport with a visa, valid for at least 6 months beyond their return date. |
